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Home › Mantras › Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali
Vishnu 108 Names of Krishna: sage Narada singing Krishna's names with his veena at Dwaraka as Krishna and Rukmini listen, for the Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali
Narada singing Krishna's names with his veena at Dwaraka as Krishna and Rukmini listen
Mantra · 108 names from Yashoda's butter to the Gita, seen by Shesha

Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali

ॐ कृष्णाय नमः ।

Also known as 108 Names of Krishna

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

Brahmashree ShivaayaA reading of your birth chartBook →

What the Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali is

The Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali, the 108 names of Krishna, is a list of salutations in which each name is set between Om and namah and offered in the dative case: 'to Krishna, salutations'. It is the worship form of the Sri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram, a hymn in anushtup couplets whose printed viniyoga names Shesha as its seer, anushtup as its metre and Krishna as its deity. No individual author is recorded. The list opens with Krishna, Lord of Kamala and Vasudeva, and closes with Paratpara, he who is higher than the highest. In between, the names do not keep a strict order but gather a whole life in one place: his parents and foster parents, the demons of his Gokula childhood, the butter, the flute and the peacock feather, the wrestlers of Mathura, the court of Dvaraka, and the battlefield where he drove Partha's chariot and spoke the Gita. A few names are purely theological, such as Name 20, the one whose form is being, consciousness and bliss.

A Bhagavata life folded into names

According to the viniyoga printed before the stotram, the 108 names were first seen by Shesha, the serpent on whom Vishnu rests. One devotional tradition frames the hymn as Shesha's answer to Dharani, the Earth, later repeated by Rudra to Parvati. Several printings close with a colophon placing it in the Narada Pancharatra, while another printing assigns the same names to the Brahmanda Purana, so the source is given differently from book to book. What the names themselves draw on is plainer. Name 28 calls Krishna the moon that rises from the nectar-ocean of Shuka's words, pointing to the Bhagavata Purana, which the sage Shuka recited. From that account come the Yamuna whose current Vasudeva crossed carrying the newborn (Name 15), Putana, the cart-demon Shakata and the whirlwind Trinavarta (Names 17, 18 and 34), and the twin Arjuna trees (Name 35). Name 25 recalls King Muchukunda, asleep in a cave, whose waking gaze burnt the pursuing Kalayavana to ash before Krishna turned the king toward penance. The later names cross into the Mahabharata: Draupadi's distress, Shishupala, Bhishma's release, Yudhishthira's throne and Arjuna's chariot.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiॐ कृष्णाय नमः ।
Tamilௐ க்ருஷ்ணாய நமஃ ।
Teluguఓం కృష్ణాయ నమః ।
Kannadaಓಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾಯ ನಮಃ ।
Malayalamഓം കൃഷ്ണായ നമഃ ।
EnglishRoman transliterationoṃ kṛṣṇāya namaḥ |
“Krishna, the dark one who draws all beings to himself.”
ॐ
oṃ — Om, the sacred syllable
कृष्णाय
kṛṣṇāya — to Krishna
नमः
namaḥ — salutations

Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali lyrics in full

The 108 names in namavali form, each set between Om and namah.

All 108 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali PDFAll 108 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Name 1

ॐ कृष्णाय नमः ।

Krishna, the dark one who draws all beings to himself.

Name 2

ॐ कमलानाथाय नमः ।

The Lord of Kamala (Lakshmi).

Name 3

ॐ वासुदेवाय नमः ।

Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva and the one who dwells in all.

Name 4

ॐ सनातनाय नमः ।

The eternal one.

Name 5

ॐ वसुदेवात्मजाय नमः ।

The son of Vasudeva.

Name 6

ॐ पुण्याय नमः ।

The holy one, purity itself.

Name 7

ॐ लीलामानुषविग्रहाय नमः ।

He who took a human form in play.

Name 8

ॐ श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभधराय नमः ।

He who bears the Shrivatsa mark and the Kaustubha jewel.

Name 9

ॐ यशोदावत्सलाय नमः ।

The darling of Yashoda.

Name 10

ॐ हरये नमः ।

Hari, the remover of sorrow and sin.

Name 11

ॐ चतुर्भुजात्तचक्रासिगदाशङ्खाम्बुजायुधाय नमः ।

The four-armed one who holds the discus, sword, mace, conch and lotus.

Name 12

ॐ देवकीनन्दनाय नमः ।

The joy of Devaki, her son.

Name 13

ॐ श्रीशाय नमः ।

The Lord of Shri (Lakshmi).

Name 14

ॐ नन्दगोपप्रियात्मजाय नमः ।

The beloved son of the cowherd Nanda.

Name 15

ॐ यमुनावेगसंहारिणे नमः ।

He who checked the rushing current of the Yamuna.

Name 16

ॐ बलभद्रप्रियानुजाय नमः ।

The dear younger brother of Balabhadra (Balarama).

Name 17

ॐ पूतनाजीवितहराय नमः ।

He who took the life of the demoness Putana.

Name 18

ॐ शकटासुरभञ्जनाय नमः ।

The destroyer of the cart-demon Shakatasura.

Name 19

ॐ नन्दव्रजजनानन्दिने नमः ।

He who delighted the people of Nanda's Vraja.

Name 20

ॐ सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहाय नमः ।

He whose form is being, consciousness and bliss.

Name 21

ॐ नवनीतविलिप्ताङ्गाय नमः ।

He whose limbs are smeared with fresh butter.

Name 22

ॐ नवनीतनटाय नमः ।

He who dances for butter.

Name 23

ॐ अनघाय नमः ।

The sinless one.

Name 24

ॐ नवनीतनवाहाराय नमः ।

He whose food is fresh butter.

Name 25

ॐ मुचुकुन्दप्रसादकाय नमः ।

He who showed grace to King Muchukunda.

Name 26

ॐ षोडशस्त्रीसहस्रेशाय नमः ।

The lord of the sixteen thousand wives.

Name 27

ॐ त्रिभङ्गिमधुराकृतये नमः ।

He of the charming form that bends in three places.

Name 28

ॐ शुकवागमृताब्धीन्दवे नमः ।

The moon that rises from the nectar-ocean of Shuka's words.

Name 29

ॐ गोविन्दाय नमः ।

Govinda, protector of the cows and knower of the senses.

Name 30

ॐ योगिनां पतये नमः ।

The Lord of the yogis.

Name 31

ॐ वत्सवाटचराय नमः ।

He who roams among the pens of the calves.

Name 32

ॐ अनन्ताय नमः ।

The endless one.

Name 33

ॐ धेनुकासुरभञ्जनाय नमः ।

The destroyer of the ass-demon Dhenukasura.

Name 34

ॐ तृणीकृततृणावर्ताय नमः ।

He who made the whirlwind-demon Trinavarta as light as a blade of grass.

Name 35

ॐ यमलार्जुनभञ्जनाय नमः ।

He who broke the twin Arjuna trees.

Name 36

ॐ उत्तालतालभेत्रे नमः ।

He who brought down the tall palm trees.

Name 37

ॐ तमालश्यामलाकृतये नमः ।

He whose form is dark like the Tamala tree.

Name 38

ॐ गोपगोपीश्वराय नमः ।

The Lord of the cowherd men and women.

Name 39

ॐ योगिने नमः ।

The great yogi.

Name 40

ॐ कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभाय नमः ।

He whose radiance equals ten million suns.

Name 41

ॐ इलापतये नमः ।

The Lord of the earth.

Name 42

ॐ परञ्ज्योतिषे नमः ।

The supreme light.

Name 43

ॐ यादवेन्द्राय नमः ।

The chief of the Yadavas.

Name 44

ॐ यदूद्वहाय नमः ।

The leader of the Yadu clan.

Name 45

ॐ वनमालिने नमः ।

He who wears the garland of forest flowers.

Name 46

ॐ पीतवाससे नमः ।

He who is dressed in yellow garments.

Name 47

ॐ पारिजातापहारकाय नमः ।

He who carried away the Parijata tree.

Name 48

ॐ गोवर्धनाचलोद्धर्त्रे नमः ।

He who lifted the Govardhana hill.

Name 49

ॐ गोपालाय नमः ।

The protector of the cows.

Name 50

ॐ सर्वपालकाय नमः ।

The protector of all.

Name 51

ॐ अजाय नमः ।

The unborn one.

Name 52

ॐ निरञ्जनाय नमः ।

The stainless one.

Name 53

ॐ कामजनकाय नमः ।

The father of Kama (Pradyumna).

Name 54

ॐ कञ्जलोचनाय नमः ।

The lotus-eyed one.

Name 55

ॐ मधुघ्ने नमः ।

The slayer of the demon Madhu.

Name 56

ॐ मथुरानाथाय नमः ।

The Lord of Mathura.

Name 57

ॐ द्वारकानायकाय नमः ।

The ruler of Dvaraka.

Name 58

ॐ बलिने नमः ।

The mighty one.

Name 59

ॐ वृन्दावनान्तसञ्चारिणे नमः ।

He who wanders through the groves of Vrindavana.

Name 60

ॐ तुलसीदामभूषणाय नमः ।

He who is adorned with a garland of Tulasi.

Name 61

ॐ स्यमन्तकमणेर्हर्त्रे नमः ।

He who recovered the Syamantaka jewel.

Name 62

ॐ नरनारायणात्मकाय नमः ।

He who is one with Nara and Narayana.

Name 63

ॐ कुब्जाकृष्णाम्बरधराय नमः ।

He who wore the dark garment offered by Kubja.

Name 64

ॐ मायिने नमः ।

The master of Maya, the power of illusion.

Name 65

ॐ परमपूरुषाय नमः ।

The supreme Person.

Name 66

ॐ मुष्टिकासुरचाणूरमल्लयुद्धविशारदाय नमः ।

He who was skilled in wrestling against the demon Mushtika and Chanura.

Name 67

ॐ संसारवैरिणे नमः ।

The enemy of samsara, the cycle of birth and death.

Name 68

ॐ कंसारये नमः ।

The enemy of Kamsa.

Name 69

ॐ मुरारये नमः ।

The enemy of the demon Mura.

Name 70

ॐ नरकान्तकाय नमः ।

The slayer of the demon Naraka.

Name 71

ॐ अनादिब्रह्मचारिणे नमः ।

The beginningless one who moves in Brahman.

Name 72

ॐ कृष्णाव्यसनकर्षकाय नमः ।

He who took away the distress of Krishna (Draupadi).

Name 73

ॐ शिशुपालशिरश्छेत्रे नमः ।

He who cut off the head of Shishupala.

Name 74

ॐ दुर्योधनकुलान्तकाय नमः ।

He who brought the line of Duryodhana to its end.

Name 75

ॐ विदुराक्रूरवरदाय नमः ।

He who granted boons to Vidura and Akrura.

Name 76

ॐ विश्वरूपप्रदर्शकाय नमः ।

He who revealed his universal form.

Name 77

ॐ सत्यवाचे नमः ।

He whose word is true.

Name 78

ॐ सत्यसङ्कल्पाय नमः ।

He whose resolve always comes true.

Name 79

ॐ सत्यभामारताय नमः ।

He who delights in Satyabhama.

Name 80

ॐ जयिने नमः ।

The victorious one.

Name 81

ॐ सुभद्रापूर्वजाय नमः ।

The elder brother of Subhadra.

Name 82

ॐ जिष्णवे नमः ।

The ever-conquering one.

Name 83

ॐ भीष्ममुक्तिप्रदायकाय नमः ।

He who granted liberation to Bhishma.

Name 84

ॐ जगद्गुरवे नमः ।

The teacher of the world.

Name 85

ॐ जगन्नाथाय नमः ।

The Lord of the universe.

Name 86

ॐ वेणुनादविशारदाय नमः ।

He who is expert in playing the flute.

Name 87

ॐ वृषभासुरविध्वंसिने नमः ।

The destroyer of the bull-demon Vrishabhasura.

Name 88

ॐ बाणासुरकरान्तकाय नमः ।

He who cut off the arms of Banasura.

Name 89

ॐ युधिष्ठिरप्रतिष्ठात्रे नमः ।

He who established Yudhishthira on the throne.

Name 90

ॐ बर्हिबर्हावतंसकाय नमः ।

He who wears a peacock feather as his crest.

Name 91

ॐ पार्थसारथये नमः ।

The charioteer of Partha (Arjuna).

Name 92

ॐ अव्यक्ताय नमः ।

The unmanifest one.

Name 93

ॐ गीतामृतमहोदधये नमः ।

The great ocean of the nectar of the Gita.

Name 94

ॐ कालीयफणिमाणिक्यरञ्जितश्रीपदाम्बुजाय नमः ।

He whose holy lotus feet are reddened by the jewels on the hoods of the serpent Kaliya.

Name 95

ॐ दामोदराय नमः ।

Damodara, he who was bound with a rope around his waist.

Name 96

ॐ यज्ञभोक्त्रे नमः ।

The enjoyer of the sacrifice.

Name 97

ॐ दानवेन्द्रविनाशकाय नमः ।

The destroyer of the demon kings.

Name 98

ॐ नारायणाय नमः ।

Narayana, the refuge of all beings.

Name 99

ॐ परब्रह्मणे नमः ।

The supreme Brahman.

Name 100

ॐ पन्नगाशनवाहनाय नमः ।

He whose mount is Garuda, the eater of serpents.

Name 101

ॐ जलक्रीडासमासक्तगोपीवस्त्रापहारकाय नमः ।

He who took away the clothes of the gopis while they played in the water.

Name 102

ॐ पुण्यश्लोकाय नमः ।

He whose fame is holy.

Name 103

ॐ तीर्थकराय नमः ।

The maker of holy places.

Name 104

ॐ वेदवेद्याय नमः ।

He who is to be known through the Vedas.

Name 105

ॐ दयानिधये नमः ।

The treasure-house of compassion.

Name 106

ॐ सर्वतीर्थात्मकाय नमः ।

He in whom all holy places reside.

Name 107

ॐ सर्वग्रहरूपिणे नमः ।

He who takes the form of all the planets.

Name 108

ॐ परात्पराय नमः ।

He who is higher than the highest.

The syllable people get wrong

Name 72, kṛṣṇāvyasanakarṣakāya, begins with kṛṣṇā, with a long final ā: the feminine name of Draupadi, not kṛṣṇa. Say KRISH-naa-vya-sa-na, holding the second syllable, or the name turns into Krishna removing his own distress.

When the Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali is chanted

Weekday. Thursday

Festival. Krishna Janmashtami

Questions

It is the namavali form of the Sri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanama Stotram. Printings of the stotram name Shesha as its seer, and several close with a colophon placing it in the Narada Pancharatra; one printing of the namavali attributes it instead to the Brahmanda Purana. No human author is named. Some stotram printings add closing verses in which Shesha says that one reading equals three readings of the Vishnu Sahasranama; the namavali itself simply ends with the 108th name.
Govinda Namalu is a Telugu pilgrim bhajan of 108 epithets of Venkateswara of Tirumala, each answered with the cry 'Govinda'. The Vishnu Sahasranama, a thousand names of Vishnu, comes from the Mahabharata, in its Anushasana Parva. This namavali is a Sanskrit list of 108 names belonging to Krishna in particular, most of them tied to episodes of his life, from Yashoda's house to Kurukshetra, rather than to Vishnu's cosmic attributes.
The stotram yields 109 candidate names, so editions reach 108 in different ways. The form given here joins Tribhangi, 'bent in three places', with Madhurakriti, 'of charming form', into one name (Name 27). Other editions keep the two apart and instead drop Tamalashyamalakriti, merge Avyakta with the name after it, or simply number 109 entries. Spellings also differ, such as Madhuranatha for Mathuranatha (Name 56) and Tirthapada for Tirthakara (Name 103).
In the Vishnu Purana and the Harivamsa, it is Balarama who seizes the ass-demon Dhenuka by his hind legs and flings him into the palm grove beside the Yamuna. The namavali does not separate the brothers' deeds in that grove: Name 33 gives Krishna the victory over Dhenuka, and Name 36 calls him the one who brought down the tall palm trees. Balarama is honoured separately in Name 16, where Krishna is his dear younger brother.
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